Other Red-tailed Hawks

Red-tailed Hawks Take Over The Globe!

In Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, Red-tailed Hawks have nested in the Unisphere, a 12-story high globe created for the 1964-1965 World’s Fair.

I didn’t know this when I went to Queens this evening however.  This is the story…

I received an email this morning that a fledgling Red-tailed Hawk had been wandering on the ground and the benches of Flushing Meadows Park.  The letter went on to detail that someone had arranged to put the fledgling in a high tree branch to get it off the ground and in a safer spot.  News like this gets me on the next subway train after my work day is over!
I arrived in Queens and walked to the Unisphere.  I spotted a parent on the top of the globe.  I thought the parents would be near the fledgling in a tree, but would soon find out this hawk was in just the right spot.
The parent, who I think is the female.
I soon heard a group of noisy Robins and Blue Jays and went to take a look.  I found a shy fledgling trying to stay out of sight.
It got fed up with the Robins and Blue Jays and moved about the tree.  It did a good job of jumping and branching.  I didn’t get to see it fly.  It may have fledged a few days too early.
I then saw the parent on the Unisphere and then something caught my eye.
A nest.  A nest on the unofficial icon of Queens.  A nest on the Unisphere!
There were two eyasses on the nest.  This brings my count of Red-tailed Hawk babies to 22 for the season, all visited by Metrocard.
They look close to fledging age.
Then both parents arrived.  One would quickly fly nearby and then off toward the Tennis Complex, and the other would stay and feed the eyasses.
The parent who left quickly, who may be the male.
The other parent feeds an eyas.
Once the feeding is over the parent moves to the other side of the globe.
The nest from the outside view.  It is a third from the left, just above Indonesia.
The light begins to fade, so I return to Manhattan.
Other Red-tailed Hawks

McCarren Park, Brooklyn

I went to McCarren Park in Brooklyn today to follow up a report sent to Rob Jett from a friend who plays baseball in the park. 

Within minutes of arriving, I found this hawk on lights for the baseball field.  It made a hunting attempt across the street.  (The 36 acre park is divided up into strips with north/south streets going through the park.)
It ended on a low branch perfect for taking portraits.
It then flew off and I lost track of it.
Highbridge Park Red-tailed Hawks

Highbridge Park, Brancher or Fledgling

I went up to Highbridge Park today, and found the “window” from the path that provides a view from below.  (Thanks to James and Robert for directions.)  I arrived to what looked to be an empty nest but knew from the angle that the eyasses might just be on the other side of the nest.

What’s this?  The movement came from twenty feet above the nest.
A youngster.
Now are you a brancher or a fledgling?  You’re still in the same tree as your nest.
One of the parents kept circling over the nest in a pattern that seemed to say “Follow me, Follow me.”
Another fly over by the parent.
An eyass appears on the nest.  So, two are accounted for.
Then a second eyass appears.  So, all there young ones are accounted for.
They get close for a bit, two heads stacked.
The eyass looks up at its older sibling on the branch.
And our brancher keeps looking at the parent circling overhead.
So, you didn’t let me know if you were just a brancher or real fledgling.  I do know one thing for sure, you aren’t going to be in this tree next weekend!
St. John/Columbia Red-tailed Hawks

St. John the Divine

I went up to visit on Saturday and all was well.  The eyasses are now much more active and visible.  They’re at the stage were they enjoy sitting near the edge of the nest and keeping an eye on the world. 

I couldn’t stay long.  The mother was on a finial near the nest and the eyasses were using both sides of the nest to look out.  (This makes it difficult to watch them as one has to walk half a block to get a clear view of the left side.)

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Other Red-tailed Hawks

Briarwood, Queens

I visited the Briarwood, Queens nest today. It still had one eyass on the nest and a fledgling exploring nearby.  The mother was visible, but I didn’t see the father.  This was my first visit to the location.

These two bring my count for Red-tailed Hawk youngsters to 19 for the season.  Wow!  Red-tails are doing wonderfully this season.  Briarwood also marks my first fledgling sighting of the season.

For more about these hawks and their history, visit Jeffrey Kollbrunner’s Nature Gallery.

The Audubon web camera is on the left and the nest on the right.
The mother.
The eyas that remains on the nest.
The eyas looks ready to fledge.
I didn’t expect to be able to find the fledgling, but out of the blue, it appeared within twenty feet of the nest.
I had expected to have a hard time.  The area surrounding the nest includes a few highways.  Usually, if all else fails, you can hear a fledgling beg for food.  In this location however, hearing the fledgling will be difficult because of all the traffic noise.
The fledgling in a tree.  It jumped/flapped awkwardly from branch to branch.  It still has lot of learning to do.
I lost the fledgling for about fifteen minutes and then rediscovered it by accident.
It did something very frightening.  It explored the razor wire.
I was so worried, but did my best to stay still and calm.  I didn’t want to startle it and cause it to injure itself.
It looked caught for a few long seconds, but did a good job maneuvering.
I just hope once was enough.  I don’t want to watch this again.
Luckily, it soon moved to a much safer place.
If there was a caption writing contest, I’m sure the winner would be “Mom, why aren’t we on the dollar bill?”
To a long and happy life, youngster!